Machine for shaping the end periphery of substantially cylindrical objects



M. N. SWIERBUT ETAL MACHINE FOR SHAPING THE END PERIPHERY O 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 6, 1965 SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Nov. 13, 1961 /n venforzs:

' men/1. 1v. sme'naur LOU/S J. SILKO April 6, 1955 M. N. SWIERBUT ETAL 3,176,435

MACHINE FOR SHAPING THE END PERIPHERY OF SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Nov. 15, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 12 j w 3/ 3a 33 D: MICHAEL 1v. SW/ERBU? 27 Laws .1. slum 34 /nvenfor.s

35 36 Fig. 4. j

Afforney Aprll 1965 M. N. SWIERBUT ETAL 3, 76, 3

MACHINE FOR SHAPING THE END PERIPHERY OF SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed Nov. 13, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 MICHAEL IV. SW/ERBUT LOU/S J. S/L/(O Afforney This invention provides a specialized machine for shaping the ends of substantially cylindrical objects into an annular beveled or rounded surface. The preferred form has been developed to bevel the ends of short helical springs previously machined to terminate in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the spring. Spring stock is a relatively hard and tough material, and the resilience that makes it useful as a spring has the side-effect of making it extremely difiicult to hold with sufficient security to perform conventional machining operations upon it without chattering or distortion. Applicant has found that the cutting operation can be performed successfully by an abrasive belt system, when used in conjunction with a novel mechanism for handling and positioning the springs with respect to the cutting belt.

It is preferable that the mechanism for handling the springs should be provided with a hopper device of conventional design for providing a supply of oriented springs ready for insertion in the conveying portion of the device, although the insertion may be done manually. The preferred form of the conveyor is based upon a wheel having its periphery notched out to receive the springs to a depth slightly less than the outside diameter of the-springs. A charging mechanism is provided for inserting a single spring from the hopper supply in each of the notches as it passes the charging station. A fixed tape under tension is positioned to contact the portion of the periphery of the springs which projects outward from the conveying wheel to induce a rotation of the springs within the notches with respect to the wheel as the wheel rotates. A moving abrasive belt is appropriately positioned in the path of movement of the springs to engage the end surfaces over a sufiicient length of path-to result in forming the ends in a substantially annular configuration. The relatively gentle engagement of the abrasive belt with the springs avoids chattering and strain in the machine. When the springs areto be machined on both ends, the cutting equipment is preferably installed at two successive stations. A fixed backing plate over the'sector of the conveyor Wheel on which the spring is being operated upon prevents the springs from moving axially within the notches as a result of the pressure of the belt, Belt pressure can be controlled by this invention without such increase in the tension in the abrasivebelt itself as to interfere with its wearing qualities. The several details of the invention will be analyzed further through a discussion of the particular embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 presents a perspective elevation of a device embodying the preferred form of the machine.

FIGURE 2 is aside elevation p-rimarily'of the conveyor portion of the device shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a section on an enlarged scale on the pltane33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE4 is a schematic view showing the control system for the charging device.

. FIGURE 5 is a section on an enlarged scale taken on the plane 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

United States Patent 0 veying wheel 15. An opposite pair of bearing blocks, one

of which is indicated at 16, is mounted on the surface 11, and securely bolted thereto as shown. The shaft 17 carries the conveyor wheel in a rotatable mounting with respect to the frame It). The sprocket 18 is also fixed with respect to the shaft 17, and is engaged by the chain 19 driven by the speed reducer 14. Power is transferred from the motor 13 over to the geared unit 14 by the conventional belt 20.

The conveyor wheel 15 is provided with'a group of evenly-spaced notches or recesses 21 around its periphery These for receiving one of the springs 22 at a time. springs are inserted in the recesses 21 by the charging device shown in FIGURE 5. The conventional hopper 23 (which forms no part of this invention) supplies an oriented group of springs 22 having a directionof flow asindicated by the arrow. These springs reach a terminal.

position occupied in FIGURE 5 by -a spring 24 opposite the chute 25. The ram device 26 is provided with com.

pressed air through the conduit 27, and the piston rod 28 will shove the spring 24 out into the trough upon actuation of the ram device. This actuation is controlled bythe valve 29operated by the radius arm 30, which has the end 31 adapted to enter each of the recesses 21 as they pass in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 4. Inorder' for the ram 26 to operate, the safetydevice 32 must be urged to the left, as shown in FIGURE 5, by the pressure of the line of oriented springs 22. Thesafety device 32 is essentially a normally-closed shut-01f valve, which is opened by pressure against the head 33. The most im portant function of the safety device is to prevent the actuation of the rain 26 when the spring has not quitereached the position of the spring24, which might cause the device tojam. The compressed air system associated with the ram 26 includes a supply line 34 ,wand a conventional filter and lubricator indicated at 35v and 36.

The ram 26 is supported on a column 37 secured in any.

convenient fashion to the surface 11 of the frame 10..

The safety device 32 :and the structure associated with the chute 25 are also conveniently supported on vertical columns 33 land 39. The short horizontal beam 40 extends between the columns 38 and 39, and provides sup-v port for a bracket 41 carrying the terminaltube 42 of the;

hopper system, and also providing support for the safety unit 32. A pair of guide pieces 43'an-d 44 are secured respectively to the columns 38 and 39 by the bolts 45 and.

46, and these members extend along and beyond the chute 25 to resiliently place the springs 22'axially within the recesses 21 for engagement with the'successive components.

To retain the springs Within the recessestand to induce.

a rotation of the springs with respectto the conveyor wheel 15, a tape 47 is kept under tension by the adjustable terminal 48 controlled by the nut 49 acting against a bracket 56 secured to the columns 38 and 39. .The opposite extremity of the tape 47 terminates at the surface 11 of the frame 19, where it is held by a member 51 positioned by the bolt 52 engaging the structure of the hoses 81 and 82,;asshwn in FIGURE 1.

frame .10. Thefrietion of the engagement of the with the periphery of the .springsjwill induce a rotation apt 41 with respect to the wheelwhich will bring successive portions of the ends of the spring into engagement with the abrasive belt of the cutting mechanism to generate a beveled end surface.

The machine illustratedimFIGURE 1 operates upon the opposite ends of the spring, and thereforeinvolves two cutting devices which are indicated generally at 53 and 54. These are of essentially the same construction, which is best shown in detail in FIGURE.6. A sub-frame for carrying the abrasive belt system includes the extensible beam 55 having an inner telescoping portion 56 terminat ing in the bracket 157 for supporting the idler pulley 58, The outer portion of the extensible beam 55 is fixed with respect to the mounting plate59, which rotatably supports the driving pulley 69. The abrasive belt 61 is positioned by the driving pulley 60 and the idler 58, and also by the auxiliary pulleys 63 and 64 which are respectively rotatably mounted on the struts .65 and 66 secured to the extensible beam 55. This arrangcmentvis' notable for the fact that the auxiliary'belt 62 may be of extremely 1 strong material, and a very high degree of tension may abrasive belt is in engagement with the ends of the springs for the completion of the machining operation. A driv 'ing motor 67 is associated with each of the cutting units a I 53 and 54, and it is preferable that the mounting plates 59 and the supportingbrackets for-the motor be secured together so that they may be moved with respect to the table surface 11 as a unit by the adjusting'rnechanism shown at 68, for the cutting device 53, and the simila'rf adjusting mechanism 69 for the cuttingdeviee54. Each 'of the adjusting mechanisms includesa bracketfld which is fixed with respect to the frame 10, and a base unit ineluding the vertical block 71 having threaded engagement with a bolt 72 controlled by the wheel'7 3. Manipulation of the wheel 73 will induce sliding movement of the entire,

assembly including the motor and the cutting mechanism within parallel guideways, one portion of which is indicated at 74 in FIGURE 1. 1 Suitable braces as indicated- 1 at 75 may be incorporated to stabilize the upper portion of the. cutting mechanism.

Since the two cutting mechanisms 53 and 54' must oper-' ate at slightly ditferent sectors with respect to the conveyor wheel 15 in order to avoid interference, an arrange ment must be provided to supply some f orm ofbacking support at the opposite ends of the springs to counteract the belt-pressure. Brackets as indicated at 76 are secured to columns 77 for adjustably supporting the backing plates 78, which occupy the entire sector on the opposite side means "for and 54, they move into an area where they are not held by the tape 47. They are'then free to drop-out of the recesses 21 into the dischargetrough 84 mountedin any convenient manneron the frame it The particular embodiments of the present invention which ihaveybeen illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is our intent to claim'the entire invention disclosed herein, except as we are limited by the Prior art. a

r We claim: a

l-. A machine for beveling the ends of substantially cylindrical objects, said machine comprising:

' a frame;

a wheel rotatably mountedin said frame and having a plurality of peripheral recesses;

inserting workpieces in said recesses including a a'hopper device for providing a supply oforiented workpieces at a charging station, ram means mounted on saidsframe at said charging station for urging one workpiece at a time from said supply into position for entrance into saidrecessea'and control means for said ram 'means to actuate the same in timed relationship a to the movement of said recesses; peripheral bearing means engaging'the outer extremity of said workpieces being carried by said recesses to rotate said workpieces with respect .to said wheel,

said, peripheral bearing means including a tape 1 under tension, and substantially fixed with respeet to said' frame,,said recesses being of a selected depth *to cause said workpieces to project beyond the periphery of said wheel; I, andicuttin'g means mounted on said frame for operating on the ends got said workpieces carried by said recesses,

said cutting means each including-a sub-frame, pulley means mounted at spaced points on said sub-frame, V 1 t abrasive'belt means engaging said pulley means, auxiliary pulley means'mounted on said sub-frame I adjacent the path of a portion of said abrasive belt means, and reinforcement belt means on gaging saidauxiliary pulley means.v

" 2 A machine for beveling the ends of substantially .means for inserting workpieces in saidrecesses;

of the respective cutting mechanisms over which the abra-v sive-belts engage the workpieces. This relationship 'is best shown in .FIGURE This arrangement is prefer 'able to attempting to position both belt devices to operate over thesame sector, and oppose the pressure of one I by that of the other,

It is'preferableto incorporate in conjunction with each ,of the cutting mechanisms a system for collecting the dust resulting from the engagement of the abrasive belts with p the workpieces. This arrangement is more or less conventional, and includes the shrouds'79 and 80 which serve as suction ducts, and which are connected to the vacuum J 1 this purpose." t I When the springs 22 have beenc'arried by the conveyor wheel 15 through the sectors of operation of the units 53 cylindrical objects,

peripheral bearingmeansengaging the outer extremity of said workpieces being carried by said recesses t0 rotate said workpieces'with respect to said wheel, @said peripheral bearing means including a tape under tension, and substantially fixed with respectto said frame, said recesses, being of a selected depth to cause said workpieces to project 1 beyond the periphery of said wheel; V and cutting means rn'ou-ntedron saidfframe for operating on the ends of said workpieces carried by said recesses,v V

pulley means mounted abrasive belt means engaging said pulley means.

'31 A machine forwbeveling'the ends of substantially said machine, comprising:

,a wheel rotatably mounted in said frame and. having a pluralityof peripheral recesses for receiving therein a plurality of workpieeesj I I peripheral bearing means engaging the outer extremity said cutting rne'ans eachincluding a sub-frame,

of said workpieces being carried by said recesses to rotate said workpieces with respect to said wheel,

said peripheral bearing means including a tape under tension, and substantially fixed with respect to said frame, said recesses being of a selected depth to cause said workpieces to project beyond the periphery of said wheel; and cutting means mounted on said frame for operating on the ends of said workpieces carried by said recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Blevney Aug. 3,

Hutchinson July 5,

Johnson Sept. 7,

Perkins Nov. 29,

Sterna June 11,

FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Jan. 14, 

3. A MACHINE FOR BEVELING THE ENDS OF SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRRICAL OBJECTS, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING: A FRAME; A WHEEL ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF PERIPHERAL RECESSES FOR RECEIVING THEREIN A PLURALITY OF WORKPIECES; PERIPHERAL BEARING MEANS ENGAGING THE OUTER EXTREMITY OF SAID WORKPIECES BEING CARRIED BY SAID RECESSES TO ROTATE SAID WORKPIECES WITH RESPECT TO SAID WHEEL, SAID PERIPHERAL BEARING MEANS INCLUDING A TAPE UNDER TENSION, AND SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME, SAID RECESSES BEING OF A SELECTED DEPTH TO CAUSE SAID WORKPIECES TO PROJECT BEYOND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID WHEEL; AND CUTTING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR OPERATING ON THE ENDS OF SAID WORKPIECES CARRIED BY SAID RECESSES. 